Sports

The highly charged encounter between regional rivals Iran and Egypt positions the soccer field as a broader ideological battleground.

Turkey was marked out as a potential dark horse before the World Cup, but it will go into the final round of group-stage matches with no chance of advancing. The stars are under fire, the coach is taking heat, but he has the backing of the federation. In Turkey, the demand is simple: Do not finish with zero points and zero goals. 

Many attribute the La Pulga's success to his extraordinary talent, but the Argentine star is convinced the key lies somewhere else entirely: nutrition, discipline and an obsessive commitment to taking care of his body. An inside look at the lifestyle of the 39-year-old star. 

The Portuguese phenomenon demonstrated once again how he became the greatest scorer in international soccer history, breaking unprecedented records for both his country and the tournament with a brace against Uzbekistan.

Emily Austin is only 25, but in recent years she has become one of the most prominent influencers in the world, especially in sports. She is pro-Israel and was chosen as the only influencer covering the World Cup on behalf of FIFA. She spoke about Americans ("They don't know Messi plays in Miami"), her relationship with Infantino ("He is amazing") and sent a message to Israelis ("Make sure the national team qualifies").

After the match against Belgium at the 2026 World Cup, Iran’s national team staff members left a note calling for “peace, respect and friendship prevail among all nations.” The message was published by the local federation against the backdrop of claims of unusual logistical difficulties during the tournament.

An Algerian journalist declared on a local television program: "They control the world and run it like a mafia. We support Palestine, and that is why FIFA does not want things to go well for us." Authorities warned they could take action and responded to him, saying his remarks amounted to "accusations, defamation, and inflammatory and offensive statements"

Matt Turner, the US national team goalkeeper who started every match in the previous tournament and is now fighting for his place, has embraced his Jewish side since discovering that his grandmother was a Jew who fled Lithuania during the Holocaust. He does not hide his Star of David, but he has also taken fire for it.

South Korea called the incident “regrettable” after security forces intercepted an aircraft over the team’s closed training complex. The suspect: Mexico, which is set to face South Korea. 

The Jordanians scored their first-ever World Cup goal but couldn't hold on, as Austria pulled away with a stoppage-time penalty.